1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to information processing systems and, more specifically, to transmission of infrared remote control signals.
2. Background Art
Computing devices often provide a means for communicating with other such devices via infrared signaling. Often, the Infrared Data Association's (IrDA) protocol for transmitting and receiving data via infrared signals is utilized in such devices. Increasingly, computing devices such as notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDA's), printers, etc., come equipped with built-in IrDA infrared ports. Accordingly, such computing devices may send data to one another without requiring a cable connection, as long as there is no interference with the infrared signal transmission.
Similarly, many consumer electronics, such as television sets, stereo equipment, camcorders, videocassette recorders and players, etc., are capable of operating via infra-red remote control. However, such devices typically do not utilize the IrDA protocol for transmitting and receiving infrared signals; indeed many consumer devices, such as television sets, only receive infrared signals and do not transmit them. Consumer electronics typically operate using one of a set of manufacturer-specific protocols known collectively as consumer infrared (“CIR” or “ConsumerIR”).
It would be beneficial to support both the IrDA and CIR infrared signaling protocols from a single computing device, such as a notebook computer, to allow the consumer to use both IrDA infrared signaling (for instance, to communicate with another device such as a PDA) and CIR signaling (for instance, to control consumer electronics). However, the infrared signals generated according to the IrDA and CIR protocols are not compatible with each other. Generally, each type of signal will cause interference with the other, and both transmissions will fail if the two signals are transmitted so that they interfere with each other. Embodiments of the method and apparatus disclosed herein address these and other concerns related to support of dual infrared signaling protocols in a single computing device.